Can Clubs be Compared to Business?

 

Lets take a look and compare the two!

 

Business

1.      Directors – Responsible and Accountable to Shareholders

2.      CEO – Responsible for day to day running of Business

3.      Accountant – Responsible for Profit and also accountable for Loss

4.      Management – Responsible for smooth running of tasks

5.      Staff – Responsible for Customer relations and sales

 

Pigeon Club

1.      Executive Committee – Responsible and Accountable to Members

2.      Chairman/President – Responsible for day to day running of Club

3.      Treasurer – Responsible for all money transactions

4.      Secretary  – Responsible for smooth running of Club

5.      Members – Responsible for assisting and supporting Club 

 

Now the Business and the Club have corresponding numbers, even many fanciers treat management and membership to a club as quite simple, many positions have been abused for far too long. No one is held responsible or accountable for anything that happens within a club.

Now lets compare this to business!

If any section of the business is found to be at fault, then this can lead to dismissal or even prosecution in a court of law!

 

Now why is this not the same for our clubs in Australia??

If we conducted our clubs as if they were a business then our sport would surely be a lot more professional, attract sponsorship and also ensure the future of our sport. We need to approach our organisations as if they were a business, they are no different (only in the eyes of the Tax department), unfortunately many people think that management in Clubs gives them immunity, or justification for poor decisions regarding their clubs.

 

If poor decisions are made then nothing seems to be taken seriously! Everyone says, “Just wait until the AGM and we will get rid of Joe Bloggs and we will get Pete to take over the job”. In real life business, if any of the staff continue to make poor decisions then they face the sack or even worse if they abuse their authority. Business does not tolerate under performers or bad leaders, they get rid of them!

 

Pigeon clubs must start to do the same, why wait until the AGM to implement a change of committee, if someone is not handling the position correctly, have them replaced. Maybe clubs and larger Federations should advertise for qualified people to manage the organisation, have them on retainer, eg: larger Federations could pay someone (with qualifications) to handle the day to day running of the Federation just like a CEO. The CEO (based at the Federation, they should be well paid for their time) could be in charge of the following:

1.      Meeting Minutes

2.      Ring Secretary

3.      Club Secretary

4.      Promotions

5.      Website (if any club does not have a website they need to move into the 19th Century)

6.      Reporting to the Executive Committee

7.      Media enquiries

8.      Liaising with other Clubs

 

   Now unfortunately we have a number of people handling most of these jobs, all getting paid various remuneration and others are doing the jobs to assist the clubs receiving no pay. But have we got the best (qualified) people?

 

Our sport needs to address the future or there will not be a prosperous future for pigeon racing in Australia. It has been good over the past few years talking with many individuals and small clubs and discussing the future of our sport, it is good to see that there are people/fanciers eager to take our sport forward.

 

We must also understand that we need to have people in the sport who are business professionals, innovative who wish to express their ideas otherwise we travel the same road day after day, year after year with no progress.

 

We must start a new approach to our sport, even small clubs can achieve this, and this will ensure the survival of our sport in the future.